Rite Aid teams with hospital to open health clinics

September 29th, 2009

CAMP HILL, Pa. – Rite Aid Corp. plans to open several in-store health clinics in Maryland and Delaware through a partnership with a local hospital.

The drug store chain said Tuesday that it has entered an agreement with Atlantic General Hospital and Health System to open Atlantic ImmediCare clinics this fall in three Rite Aid stores: Ocean Pines and Pocomoke City, Md., and Millsboro, Del.

Certified nurse practitioners will provide Atlantic ImmediCare patients with care for such common illnesses as strep throat, ear infections, tick bites, flu, bladder infections, bronchitis and allergies, as well as offer school and employer physicals, laboratory tests, adult immunizations and health screenings. The clinics will be open daily, with extended hours for care in the evening and on weekends.

"The Atlantic ImmediCare clinics will complement the medication counseling and care provided by our pharmacists and provide the convenience of high-quality, affordable health care services to patients who won't have to wait for an appointment to receive treatment for minor illnesses and get basic medical tests," Robert Thompson, executive vice president of pharmacy at Rite Aid, said in a statement.

In addition, with a patient's consent, Atlantic ImmediCare can provide treatment information to that patient's primary care provider to ensure continuity of care, the companies said. Because of the affiliation with the hospital and health system, records of Atlantic ImmediCare visits for individuals who are current patients of an Atlantic General Health System provider will immediately be available to that provider through the electronic medical record, providing an up-to-date medical history and more comprehensive care.

"These clinics will supplement the primary care practices we already have in these communities and will be a lower-cost option to other types of immediate care," explained Michael Franklin, president and chief executive officer of Atlantic General Hospital, an acute care hospital based in Berlin, Md. "It also will provide an after-hours and weekend option for care other than the emergency room, which will potentially help lower the cost of health care in our region. Those who need additional services beyond what Atlantic ImmediCare provides will have direct access to the diagnostic and specialty treatment services of Atlantic General Hospital."